A new report by the University of Minnesota examining the perspectives of developers and business leaders on achieving transit-oriented jobs-housing balance along the Twin Cities transit network has been added to the Resource Center best practices database.

A study of energy production along the Green Line light rail corridor in the Twin Cities and the potential for linking energy islands to create a more efficient regional system has been added to the Resource Center best practices database.

Executive Summary
Throughout the world, countries are seeking pragmatic solutions to increase the efficiency of their energy systems through the use of smarter energy distribution and the advancement of technology. The drivers for change vary from mandates to economics to environmental conditions. Within the United States, utilities are being required to integrate more renewables and increase the efficiency of the demand-side user.
Demand-side reductions and renewables are important investments for the overall system, but often times these foci result in a missed opportunity. Each day, millions of Btus1 of thermal and electric energy potential are lost through wasted heat or stranded energy. Waste heat occurs when a process creates thermal energy as a by-product that must be disposed of using cooling water from rivers or other bodies of water, through cooling towers or otherwise exhausted to the atmosphere. Most often this heat is produced by industrial processes or electricity…

TRANSPORTWill Central Corridor Lessons Transfer to Southwest
Twin Cities Finance and Commerce
Businesses along the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit line had to sue in federal court to get the Metropolitan Council to provide an estimate of how much revenue local establishments lost during the transit line's construction.

TRANSPORTThe Politics of Dumb Infrastructure Decisions
Minneapolis Star Tribune
We have a political situation in the United States where Democrats are too eager to build anything if it creates a job and the Republicans are too willing to call a project a boondoggle without first investigating its merit.

URBANISM & DESIGNRedevelopment Hopes for New Zoning Codes
Tampa Bay Times
One of the key arguments for building a light rail system in Pinellas County is that it would kick start urban renewal. People could live closer together, walk to buy their morning coffee and take the train to work.